Ecohydrology

Integrated geohydrology, geophysics, geomicrobiology

Pathlines Par,cles released from storage at start of mining 

Capture zone From storage

mine

Fast path from surface

Surface to mine

Shallow hydrologic system

Ecohydrology facili,es Facility  Level  Sites/drill 

holes 

Exploratory  2000L  2 sites, 3 holes each 

Exploratory  4100L  3 sites, 3 holes each 

Observatory  4850L  2 sites, 3 holes each 

Exploratory  5900  1 site, 3 holes each 

Exploratory  6800L  2 sites, 3 holes each 

Observatory  7400L  2 sites, 3 holes each 

2000’ Level N 

4100’ Level N 

4850’ Level 

N 

6800’ Level 

N 

5900L in red

7400’ Level 

N 

Facility Requirements ‐ underground 

•  Exploratory sites –  5‐m headspace –  100‐m2 area –  Ven,la,on –  Communica,on –  110 & 220 V power –  MULE (1) –  Access for ~3 mos. ini,ally, 

sporadic visits later –  Drilling/coring, 1‐2 km lengths –  Drilling and tes,ng when 

fracture water is intersected –  Borehole comple,on  

•  Observatory sites –  10‐m headspace –  200‐m2 area –  Ven,la,on –  Communica,on –  110 & 220 V power – MULEs (2‐3) –  Permanent access –  Drilling/coring, ~4 km lengths 

–  Borehole comple,on 

Facility Requirements ‐ surface Surface boreholes -- characterize near-surface hydrology

Surface laboratory staging and storage area for field equipment including bench for electronic repair packers/pumps/groundwater field probes/core liners miscellaneous drilling related equipment Two anaerobic glovebags -- oversize for cores rock core processing equipment (i.e. core cutter, rock crushing) tracer introduction and analysis equipment/GC epifluorescence/phase contrast microscope for FISH w CCD media and tracer chemical storage autoclaves pH, Eh, ion specific meters, balances milli-Q water supply gas chromatograph with TCD, FID, ECD, RGD detectors ion chromatograph HPLC fluorometer nanodrop spectrophotometer UV-VIS spec flow cytometer

high pressure equipment gas and vacuum on line gassing station and gas handling/storage laminar flow through hoods/HEPA filters wetbench with acid sinks fume hoods/chemical cabinets/acid/flammable lab safety equipment - eye wash/shower/ centrifuges and ultracentrifuge gel rigs, gel documentation system PCR machines, real-time PCR liquid scintillation counter/low-level radiation bench/room computer room - computer and server for processing and visualization of experimental data and computers and software for phylogenetic analyses access to machine shop (-80°C freezers minus 20°C freezers explosion proof freezer/refrigerator walk-in cold room (5°C) refrigerators drying ovens (600oC+)

Schedule for Occupancy Experiment  Level  Occupancy 

Observatory  4850L  Develop first, i.e., 2013 

Exploratory  2000L  A^er drilling at 4850 completed, ~2014 

Exploratory  4100L  A^er drilling at 4850 completed, ~2014 

Observatory  7400L  Dependent upon pumping and development of ven,la,on, ~2015 

Exploratory  6800L  Dependent upon pumping and development of ven,la,on, ~2016 

R&D needs •  Access to selected exis,ng boreholes – at available levels, including 8000L ‐‐ geohydrological, geochemical characteriza,on, instrumenta,on, etc. 

•  Selec,on of packers, casing (?) materials and fluid samplers that are stable at high temperature, do not alter water geochemistry.  Drilling fluid selec,on and asep,c protocols. 

•  Drilling technology with logging capability (LWD?).